“And Jesus wept.” – John 11:35 Those of us who have “the gift of tears” might actually view them as the “curse of tears.” It can be embarrassing to have to keep tissues close and apologize for wearing your heart on your sleeve. But if you have this gift, or know someone who does, I want to help you truly see it as a gift from God instead of something to be ashamed of. First…
“…it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” – John 9:3 Each of us have stories of our own suffering. Sometimes we bring these sufferings on by our own actions, but many times the sufferings we endure are the effects of sin by others and simply the fallen nature of the world (see CCC 324). The Good News is that none of our sufferings ever have to go to…
“He saved us and called us to a holy life…” – 2 Timothy 1:9 This second week of Lent, we travel up Mt. Tabor with Peter, James, and John and witness Jesus’ Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). This miraculous manifestation of the Holy Trinity seems like a strange detour during Lent. Shouldn’t we be sitting somewhere covered in sackcloth and ashes (Jonah 3:5-6)? Instead, we find ourselves on a mountaintop surrounded by Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, the…
“Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit.” – Psalm 51:14 Psalm 51 is one of my favorites. Also known as the Miserere, it is a central penitential prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. It’s a touchstone we can come back to again and again when we have sinned, when we feel the weight of our transgressions and those of the world in which we live. It’s one…
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the Lord, over vast waters. The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic.” – Psalm 29: 3-4 This scene of the Baptism of the Lord (Matthew 3:13-17) is one of the few times when we hear directly from God the Father. His voice resounds over the waters of the Jordan and reveals Jesus’s identity: “And a voice came from the…
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16 The second part of this statement might be shocking to you: God the Father sent Jesus to save us and prepare The Way (John 14:6) to heaven for us; He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell inside us and become a piece of heaven here on Earth. We who are baptized…
“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’” – Luke 17:5 What causes you to have faith in God? Not someone else, but you personally. Take a moment to call to mind a few “reasons for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15). Perhaps certain people or experiences came to mind? Especially times of encounter with the Lord through the sacraments, prayer, and Scripture reading. Give thanks and praise to God for the ways that He…
Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. – John 14:23 Where does God live? (I’ll give you a hint: there’s more than one answer to this.) One answer is that He lives in heaven where He is the light and temple of the City of God: “I saw no temple in the city for its temple is…
Imagine you’re there with Jesus, the disciples, and Mary at the Wedding Feast at Cana (John 2:1-11). No one knows it, but Jesus is about to perform His first sign of turning water into wine. However, a few things need to happen before that. First, the wine must run out. Next, Mary will employ her feminine gift of sensitivity to notice the newlyweds’ need, intercede for the couple to Jesus, then demonstrate her authority by…
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. -Hebrews 4:16 We’re coming to the end of the Church year. Our Mass readings start pointing to the end of time, the saints in heaven, and are directed to the feast of Christ the King at the end of November. As our King, Jesus sits on a glorious throne in heaven. If you want to get…